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Gnoll Swordsmen
|upkeep_cost = |num_figures = |moves = |melee = |defense = |resist = |hits = |abilities = Large Shield }} Gnoll Swordsmen are a type of Normal Unit that can be recruited in Gnoll Towns containing at least a Barracks and a Smithy. Swordsmen are a basic combat unit available to all Races. They are better defended against Ranged Attacks than other low-tier units, and can become somewhat stronger through . Gnoll Swordsmen in particular have a rather high Attack Strength that can make them threatening even to mid-tier units, although their survivability is not exactly good and tends to ultimately limit their usefulness. Gnoll Swordsmen have a Construction Cost of , and require an Upkeep Cost of and to maintain. Failure to pay these costs will result in the unit being disbanded automatically. Unit Properties Physical Description Gnoll Swordsmen are a group of fur-covered humanoids, more akin to jackals than to humans. They wear the blue tunics that are a standard part of the Gnoll army uniform. Gnoll Swordsmen each carry a sword for up-close-and-personal combat, and a large purple buckler which protects them from enemy arrows and other ranged attacks. Gnoll Swordsmen are a , containing up to soldiers. Attack Properties Thanks to the Gnolls' racial bonus of , Gnoll Swordsmen possess a rather impressive Melee Attack for a low-tier unit. Each Swordsman attacks with a strength of , which has an average "raw" output of . With , Gnoll Swordsmen have a high chance of scoring at least a couple of hits against most opponents, especially in the early game. This attack also improves with . At the level, the maximum normally attainable, it has an average "raw" output of × = instead - nearly twice the initial value, and enough to put a dent even into heavier armor. Defensive Properties Gnoll Swordsmen are lightly armored, possessing a Defense score of . They can deflect about points from Conventional Damage attacks, on average. Unfortunately, this is rarely enough to avoid anything but the weakest attacks. Like all Swordsmen however, they carry Large Shields, which grant an extra against all types of Conventional Damage that is delivered at a range. This brings their average reduction up to against , , and , as well as , , the hidden Conventional component of most Gaze Attacks, and all spells and effects that deal Conventional Damage, including Area Damage. As with most common foot soldiers though, each Gnoll Swordsman has only . In other words, each point of inflicted on this unit will kill off one of its . Their base Resistance score is also quite terrible - with , they will easily fall prey to most Unit Curses and combat maledictions. , , and even improve with however. Other Properties Gnoll Swordsmen move at a slow , and can only traverse land tiles. The unit has no special movement properties. Basic Strategy Gnoll Swordsmen are a step up from the basic Gnoll Spearmen. Even stronger on the attack, and better defended against spells and ranged opponents, they can serve as a decent main-line unit in the early stages of the campaign. The Barracks and Smithy required to recruit them are typically cheap enough to build in every Town, especially since the latter is also needed for some of the economical Town Buildings, and is likely to be constructed sooner rather than later. Because of their defensive advantage, Swordsmen are often a better choice than Spearmen for garrisoning frontier Settlements and contested areas. However, it should be noted that unlike Spearmen, they also cost to maintain in addition to , and their lower count makes enhancements effects slightly less pronounced for them. In the case of Gnoll Swordsmen though, their initial Attack Strength is so good for a low tier unit that it more than makes up for the extra Upkeep Cost. In early "rush" strategies, it's typically worth switching to them as soon as the recruitment speed stops becoming a limiting factor and either unit can be produced in a single turn. Ability Overview Large Shield * This unit receives a Defense bonus of against all types of Conventional Damage delivered at range - including all Ranged Attacks, short-range attacks, and . Experience Table The following table illustrates how Gnoll Swordsmen improve with Experience. Any properties that are not listed here are not affected by in any way. * To achieve this level, either the Warlord Retort or the spell must be in play. ** To achieve this level, both Warlord and must be in play simultaneously. Average Damage Output The table below details the average amount of "raw" that each in a Gnoll Swordsmen unit will deliver based on . It can be used in comparison to the target's Defense rating to approximate the chance of hurting that target. Acquisition Gnoll Swordsmen may be recruited in any Gnoll Town that has both a Barracks and a Smithy already built. The Construction Cost of this unit is . Gnoll Swordsmen may also appear as Mercenaries, provided that the player has a presence on Arcanus. In this case, they cost between to to hire per unit, based on their - or half that much for Charismatic Wizards. Category:Units Category:Normal Units Category:Gnolls Category:Swordsmen